Waste heat retrieval system of vehicle

• US 8,925,318 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2012
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Seo, Jungmin
• Primary Examiner(s): Denion, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shipe, Steven D
• Application Number:
  US13/713,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20140116050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 603/20, 60614-618, 606/23, 606/40
• US Class Current: 60/618
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/065 the combustion taking place in an internal combustion piston engine, e.g. a diesel engine
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 3/00 Plants characterised by the use of steam or heat accumulators, or intermediate steam heaters, therein regenerating exhaust steam F01K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A waste heat retrieval system of a vehicle may include a reservoir disposed in a lower side of a exhaust gas boiler and in which a predetermined space is formed, a retrieval line that connects the exhaust gas boiler with the reservoir, a retrieval supply control valve disposed to open or close the retrieval line, and a control portion that controls the retrieval supply control valve to open the retrieval line such that working fluid of the exhaust gas boiler is returned to the reservoir if a retrieval condition is satisfied. Accordingly, the working fluid of the exhaust gas boiler in a waste heat retrieval system may be retrieved to the reservoir and therefore the freezing problem of the working fluid can be substantially resolved.

Claims

1. A waste heat retrieval system of a vehicle, the system comprising:

an exhaust gas boiler that uses exhaust gas of an engine to heat working fluid;

a superheater that vaporizes the heated working fluid generated from the exhaust gas boiler, and a turbine that uses the vaporized working fluid generated from the superheater to generate torque;

a reservoir disposed in a lower side of the exhaust gas boiler and in which a predetermined space is formed;

a retrieval line that connects the exhaust gas boiler with the reservoir;

a retrieval supply control valve disposed to open or close the retrieval line;

a control portion that controls the retrieval supply control valve to open the retrieval line such that the working fluid of the exhaust gas boiler is returned to the reservoir if a retrieval condition is satisfied;

a supply line extending from the reservoir to the retrieval control valve;

a working fluid supply pump mounted on the supply line to supply the working fluid of the reservoir to the exhaust gas boiler;

wherein the control portion controls the retrieval supply control valve and the working fluid supply pump to supply the working fluid of the reservoir to the exhaust gas boiler if a supply condition is satisfied,

a heating line through which coolant of the engine circulates through the reservoir so as to heat the working fluid of the reservoir;

a heating control valve disposed to open or close the heating line; and

an outside air control valve that selectively connects an interior room of the reservoir and an interior room of the superheater with outside air.

2. The waste heat retrieval system of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control portion detects a temperature of the working fluid in the reservoir, and if the temperature is less than a predetermined temperature, opens the heating control valve such that the working fluid of the reservoir is heated to a predetermined temperature, before the working fluid supply pump is operated to supply the working fluid of the reservoir to the exhaust gas boiler.

3. The waste heat retrieval system of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control portion opens the outside air control valve when the working fluid is retrieved from the exhaust gas boiler to the reservoir or the working fluid is supplied from the reservoir to the exhaust gas boiler.

4. The waste heat retrieval system of a vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a condenser that condenses working fluid gas exhausted from the turbine;

a refrigerant circulation pump that circulates refrigerant from the condenser to a refrigerant cooler;

a cooling fan that cools the refrigerant cooler; and

a working fluid circulation pump that supplies condensed working fluid of the condenser to the exhaust gas boiler,

wherein the control portion retrieves the condensed working fluid to the exhaust gas boiler by operating the working fluid pump and the cooling fan if the retrieval condition is satisfied.

5. The waste heat retrieval system of a vehicle of claim 4, wherein the control portion controls the retrieval supply control valve to close the retrieval line and the outside air control valve if it is determined that the level of the reservoir is higher than a predetermined value.

6. The waste heat retrieval system of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control portion opens the heating control valve such that the working fluid in the reservoir is heated to higher than a predetermined temperature, closes the heating control valve, operates the working fluid supply pump to supply the operating fluid of the reservoir to the exhaust gas boiler, and if it is determined that the level of the working fluid of the reservoir is less than a predetermined value, stops supplying of the operating fluid by stopping the working fluid supply pump and closes the outside air control valve.

7. The waste heat retrieval system of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the working fluid includes water.

8. The waste heat retrieval system of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the retrieval condition includes a case that outside temperature is lower than a predetermined value while the engine is in a turned-off condition.

9. The waste heat retrieval system of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the supply condition includes a case that a temperature of the working fluid is higher than a predetermined value when the engine is turned on.